The present invention relates to load securement systems for vehicles such as flat bed trailers and railway flat cars and, more particularly, to the provision of an improved positionally adjustable anchor system.
In the transportation of goods by flat bed vehicles, it is common practice to secure the load to the bed of the vehicle by the use of chains or straps passed over the load and connected to anchor points along opposite sides of the vehicle bed. Because load configurations vary widely, it is necessary to have many available anchor positions along the length of the vehicle. In order to minimize the loss of binder chains or straps, it is preferrable to have the chains or straps permanently connected to the anchor points and to the vehicle. In order to provide permanent attachment while permitting ready adjustment of the anchor positions, load securement systems have been developed in which the anchor points are mounted in ways extending the length of the vehicle bed and which may be locked in selected positions along the bed. Typical examples of these systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,633,937, Hlinsky; 3,740,073, Schwiebert; and 4,010,694, Mooney et al.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved positionally adjustable securement system which is located along the side edges of the vehicle bed thus leaving the bed free of either channels or projecting obstructions and which does not interfer with the use of conventional removable side panels.